The present invention relates to a test strip supply apparatus and an analyzer using the same, and more particularly to a test strip supply apparatus and analyzer which are effective in analyzing samples from the living body, such as urine and blood, by using test strips each having reaction layers impregnated with reagents.
Test strips are often used in medical examination in hospitals so that urine or blood samples can be simply examined for a plurality of analytical items. Each test strip comprises an elongate sheet-like strip made of plastic or the like onto which a plurality of reaction layers impregnated with reagents are clung.
One example of known automatic analyzers using such test strips is disclosed in JP, A, 61-91571. In this prior art, an arm having a test strip gripper is moved between a test strip supply mechanism, a sample table including sample containers which are placed on the table and in which test strips are to be dipped, and a photometric mechanism, thereby performing photomerry on each test strip which has developed colors in the reaction layers. The test strip supply mechanism supplies the test strips one by one to a position where the arm starts carrying the test strip. The test strip supply mechanism disclosed in JP, A, 61-91571 includes a hopper provided with the bottom movable transversely and each test strip is sent out of the hopper when the bottom is moved with respect to a hopper body in which the test strips are put beforehand.